Practicing Discomfort in Teacher Education

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session 7
  In Roundtable Session: Transformative Pedagogy: Disrupting Comfort and Advancing Equity in the Teacher Education Classroom

Abstract

As teacher educators who work with undergraduates at a predominantly white institution, we feel urgency about designing our licensure program so that prospective teachers have consistent, guided practice throughout the program practicing the discomfort that can be experienced while learning justice-focused teaching. This paper examines what it means to responsibly practice discomfort within a teacher education program rooted in equity and justice. We share case examples of practicing discomfort across four different courses, as well as prospective teachers’ reflections on their experiences and growth.

Authors

• Tracy L. Weston, Middlebury College

• Tara L. Affolter, Middlebury College